Visenya and Aegon : Ten Moments
by A Girl Heading Nowhere
Summary: Ten moments in the life of Aegon and Visenya Targaryen, children of King Rhaegar Targaryen and Queen Elia Martell. (King Aerys was overthrown by his son and died under "mysterious circumstances", Prince that was Promised prophecy is not there so Lyanna Stark was never "kidnapped", and Rhaegar has three children).


**Visenya and Aegon : Ten moments**

I.

She is ten and a four, two namedays younger than her brother, Aegon, when her father holds a celebration, announcing her marriage to her brother. The news comes as a surprise to her. She wants to scream and shout and cry and beg but she quietly stands stiffly beside her brother, trying to smile for the guests because her father is the King. King Rhaegar Targaryen will never be opposed.

Later when she is alone in her chambers, she cries. And it is her sister,Rhaenys, who is married to the Baratheon heir, who comes to wipe her tears.

"This is madness, Rhaenys. I cannot marry him. He is my brother. Mother would have never agreed to this.", she whispers and more tears are shed for her mother, Queen Elia, who died four years ago from illness.

"I know. I know.", her sister keeps whispering the same words and Visenya cries some more because Rhaenys, Aegon and Visenya shall always remain siblings. They should never be forced to be more.

"But do you not see, Visenya. You are so fortunate. You shall be the wife of the Crown Prince. The Princess of Dragonstone. A Queen. The Queen." Rhaenys tries to point out to the silver lining of it all. But even Rhaenys knows that the future shall be dark. Targaryen Queens have been unfortunate for two generations. The third Queen will perhaps be no different and Rhaenys sends a quick prayer to the Mother for her little sister and thanks the Gods that she was not chosen for this task.

II.

The birth of Rhaenys' first born, a son named Steffon, delays the wedding and for that Aegon is glad. He misses the little sister he knew. The girl who would wear their father's black cloak and run around the Red Keep bare feet. The girl who would always come to him when she needed something. Now Visenya is all morose and brooding, avoiding Aegon like a plague. So when the opportunity of finding Visenya alone with her newborn nephew presents itself, Aegon grabs it with both hands. She sits with their nephew, all black hair and blue-eyed, in her lap, hair tied away from her face.

"He is beautiful. A true Baratheon, don't you think?", Aegon speaks and he can point to the moment Visenya recognised his voice because of the fact that she freezes. Her silence is eating Aegon from the inside and he just wishes she would speak anything, even a curse his way would be accepted.

"Yes. Yes he is." She answers stiffly and Aegon takes a step into the room.

"Reminds me of when you were born. Mother introduced you to me and Rhaenys and you know what is the first thing she asked of me?" Aegon tries to start a conversation the best he can.

"The promise to take care of me.",Visenya replies for this is not the first time Aegon has spoken of this. Every time she had run off to chase cats as a little girl, it was Aegon who followed her, telling her of how mother had made him promise.

"You are… were her sun." Aegon says, the memory of his mother still fresh in his mind, and continues, "Rhaenys shall never bow."

Visenya is quick to answer. "Aegon shall never bend."

"And Visenya shall never break.", he finishes the words his mother had taught them and Visenya promptly answers, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken."

This is how their mother had taught them her House words, comparing Rhaenys to fire(quick to spread and all consuming), Aegon to dragon(valiant and noble but just as fierce and wild) and Visenya to sun(all shine and above anybody's reach).

"Mother would have been against this." Visenya speaks up and Aegon knows she is talking of them, of their marriage.

"I know. But… But father is the King. We cannot do anything about it." As Visenya sheds a silent tear, Aegon realises he had failed to keep his promise. He could not protect his sister from their father's rule. From the curse of being born to the Crown.

III.

The marriage takes place late into summer and Visenya has no tears left to shed. She is dressed in attire fit for the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms, a future Queen. She has called for three men of the Kingsguard, the three men who had served her grandsire, Aerys the Mad, when he was King.

Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jaime Lannister arrive just as requested. She takes a deep breath and offers them wine. All decline but she pours herself a glass and gulps it.

She finally speaks, "Do you remember the last time a King had his children marry one another? The King was named Jaehaerys and he ordered his son Aerys to marry his daughter Rhaella. Then the tragedy of Summerhall happened and Aerys ascended the throne with Rhaella as his Queen. You failed your Queen then, do not fail me."

The look on Ser Jaime's face is of pure regret while Ser Arthur looks on with pity. Ser Barristan who has always been dear to her is the one to speak. "We will never fail you my Princess. Never." She knows Aegon will never hurt her but she also thought she knew her father would never marry her against her will. Better to be safe than sorry.

IV.

Their father leads Visenya down the aisle of the Sept and Aegon still wants to run off. He would have run off if it weren't for his sister Rhaenys who had told him a simple thing, "Father could have chosen someone worse for her. With you she will be safe. You have to protect her." He steals a quick glance at Rhaenys, who stands in the front. Of the three children, it is only Rhaenys who resembles their mother, olive-skinned and dark-eyed, and her presence makes him feel like his mother is here with them. His father and sister have finally reached him and so Aegon takes the hand Visenya offers. Fire and Blood are their house words. She is the sun for him just like she was for their mother and yet her hand is cold as ice.

She wears no cloak, a proper wedding gown and she has pinned her hair the way their mother did. The ceremony begins and as commanded, he removes the black cloak he wears and wraps it around his sister. The cloak is still big for her but it was bigger when she was a child running around in it, half of the cloak trailing after her. That memory makes him smile.

"Father. Smith. Warrior. Mother. Maiden. Crone. Stranger. I am hers, and she is mine, from this day, until the end of my days." he speaks while her voice comes just a little above a whisper.

Just like that, they are Aegon Targaryen, the Prince of Dragonstone and his wife,Visenya Targaryen, the Princess of Dragonstone. Their parents once held those titles. Visenya wears the same cloak their mother wore on her marriage to their father. The similarities scare him. He doesn't want to end up like his father.

V.

The steps of the wedding dance have been memorised by her since she was young. And funnily enough, it was always Aegon she would drag into practicing the steps with her. The same dance holds little interest and no laugh, the exact opposite of her childhood and Visenya feels this is exactly how her marriage shall be. Cold, distant, no laugh. Exact opposite of her childhood with the same boy. _He is a man now,_ he mind speaks and she knows it to be the truth. Her brother is no more her brother. He is a man, her husband now. And she will have to quietly accept it.

Her father steals her for the next dance and she hates it even more. Her father has loved his children since their birth but her father has been a distant man since her mother's death.

"Are you happy?", her father asks and Visenya is surprised to hear him ask her this.

"Will my happiness matter?", she counters and the way her father's face expresses shock, she knows she has hit the mark.

Her father does not speak for a long time and so this time she asks, "Were you and mother happy on the day of your marriage?"

The song ends and her father walks away before answering. She fears the silence more than anything.

Her uncle Viserys is next to ask for a dance and him she obliges gladly. He is after all her favourite uncle (along with Uncle Oberyn) and also married to his sibling, her aunt Daenerys.

"I don't want this.", she whispers softly into her uncle's ears, her head leaning on his shoulder.

"We are rarely offered a choice in life.", he uncle answers. Her uncle is wise, always has been. His marriage to her aunt had happened for no reason apart from following the Targaryen tradition and then it was known that her aunt would never have any child. Her aunt had turned bitter and her uncle had taken to travelling. They would only appear together for celebrations. It was known throughout the Seven Kingdoms that their marriage was an unhappy one. As a saving grace for all that had happened, her father had granted upon Uncle Viserys the title of Prince of Summerhall.

"I am scared.", she spoke again.

"Aegon will take good care of you. I promise." he replied, stroking her hair.

"Will you leave for Summerhall soon?" she asked, not speaking aloud that she wanted him to stay.

"I shall never be too far. Just write to me and I will come for you.", he answers and quickly lays a kiss upon her head. Her uncle she trusts and she knows he will rescue her should the need arise.

VI.

He had made sure their was no call for a bedding ceremony. He knows how much Visenya hates it from the conversation they had had on Rhaenys' marriage.

She is in his room, their room, he corrects himself. Alone. Standing in front of the looking glass. "Visenya.", he calls out and receives no answer. He takes a moment to look at her. Silver hair, too fair, indigo eyes. Too thin, just like their mother. Their is no denying the fact his sister is beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful lady he has laid eyes upon but that does not make the thought of bedding her much easier. It takes him less than a moment to realise that the bedding ceremony cannot take place and so he is quick to take his place on the settee for the night. As he lays down, Visenya looks towards him but no words are exchanged and so Aegon closes his eyes for the night.

Morning is no better. Visenya is tucked into the bed, a pale white nightdress on. He can trace every curve of hers through it, the nip of her waist, the rise of her breast, the curve of her hip. He shakes his head to remove such thoughts and quickly makes a small cut on his forefinger. Visenya should have bled on the wedding night.

She wakes up as he is tracing blood on the sheet and a pure look of horror dawns her face. "Did you just cut yourself Aegon? Are you a fool?", she barks and Aegon laughs at this. His little sister is back. But laughing was a folly he realises quickly. It appeared she recognised exactly where she was and who she was at the moment.

"I…", she begins and Aegon nods for her to continue, "I miss you, Aegon.", she speaks and Aegon is glad for this.

"Oh Visenya. I have missed you too. I have missed you so much.", and he hugs her. Because it has been too long since they have been like this, just brother and sister, just Aegon and Visenya.

This is how the handmaidens find them when they come to his chambers.

VII.

She marches into the meeting of the small council, looking for Aegon. Everybody stares at her and she knows they were discussing something of importance. "You all may leave.", she speaks in her Queen-like voice that she has been practicing for three month, since the day of her marriage.

"I need to speak to you.", she directs at Aegon as she moves towards him. He reads her well and so quickly envelops her in a hug. She has become used to this, the scent of Aegon and not her brother.

"What happened?", Aegon speaks when everybody has dispersed.

"I can't live here Aegon. Please. This is killing me. I can't put up with the whispers please. I want to leave. Please." The rumours of the absence of an heir have been going around court and finally she is simply sick of it. She can't take it anymore.

"Give me a month. I can't leave so soon, Visenya.", Aegon answers her and she is not satisfied.

"I don't care. Stay if you want. But I can't Aegon. I just can't stay here please. I want to just leave." Her tears, it appears, are enough to sway him.

"Alright. Whatever you want.", he answers and lays a kiss on her head.

A day later, she is leaving for Dragonstone with Aegon bidding her goodbye.

"It is just a month. I will be there soon, I promise. And I will write to you." Aegon speaks as they stand in front of her carriage. She is glad to leave the Red Keep but not her husband behind. She doesn't know what possessed her that moment but she kissed him. Not a sisterly kiss, a kiss on his lips.

VIII.

The moment he reaches Dragonstone, he runs to Visenya, lifting her off the ground and kissing her. It appears she missed him as much as he did for she kisses back with equal desperation.

He does not bed her but they have started sharing a bed and that is progress. It is hard for him, seeing her sleeping in translucent nightgowns and yet unable to touch her intimately but he puts up with it because he loves her, is in love with her. That realisation is as heavy as the head that lays on his chest right now. He tries to get up, just to get out of the chambers but Visenya's grip on him is tight and so he stays there, waiting for sleep to come.

Two months into his stay, news comes of his father's ill health. The Maester fears his father will not survive so he finally approaches Visenya with an important matter.

"Father is unwell." They are sitting in their solar, she in his lap as she reads a book, when he speaks of it.

"I, too, read the letter Aegon.", she simply answers but the way she shuts her book close, he knows he has her attention.

He heaves a sigh and speaks, "You know what this mean?"

Her shoulders droop and Aegon knows she realises the seriousness of the event, "When do we leave?"

"Soon. As soon as we can." He answers and waits for a moment before continuing. "If… If father dies, the crown will be mine."

"You shall be King.", she speaks with a grimace. They have always hated the crown. All three siblings have. Rhaenys had always talked of how happy she would be to marry out of the crown and Visenya would be lucky to do so too. But Aegon was cursed with the crown and by marrying Visenya, he had cursed her too.

"A King needs an heir, my love." He speaks and starts counting. He counts till twelve before she finally replies, "I know."

"It is after all my only duty as your Queen", she adds bitterly. He wants to say something, anything to make her feel better but there are no words. She had spoken the truth after all.

He is called off soon enough for some matter or another.

That night he comes to bed to find Visenya under the furs, awake. He sheds his tunic and boots before joining her and as he reaches to pull her towards him, he feels bare skin. For the first time, no piece of clothing separates her from him and his mouth turn dry. No words are needed as Visenya pulls him in for a kiss.

IX.

Their father fights old age and sickness for three and a half months before passing on the crown to Aegon. It is on the eve of his coronation that Visenya tells him the news that she is with child. His joy knows no bound. He laughs and keeps kissing her muttering something along the lines of their child. Aegon's laugh has been rare since the news of their father's sick health had come. She loves his laugh. She loves the smell of him, the feel of him. She loves him. She truly loves him. The realisation makes her happier than ever and so she blurts it out before thinking.

"I love you." She puts on no show, no heavy words, nothing.

"Oh Visenya. You know I love you as well." Aegon replies. Of course, he does. He is her brother. They have spoken of their love for each other before. Loads of times in fact. But those declarations were before they were married. So she tries to make him understand that this is not the love of a sister.

"I love you Aegon. I love you as a wife." She speaks and awaits. He has finally stepped away from her.

He bends down in front of her as she sits on the edge of the bed. "You mean so much to me, Visenya. You are my wife, my Queen, the mother of my future child. You are my everything. Always remember that. No love can match the love I hold for you." He then proceeds to prove to her exactly how much he loves her.

The day of the coronation, he lets the Seven Kingdoms know that his Queen carries a child and five months and ten days later, the King's heir, the Crown Prince is born.

Visenya was cradling his son as he sat beside. Aegon and Visenya had both taken after their father and so it was no surprise when the Prince born also had silver hair and purple eyes.

"He is absolutely perfect, my love." Aegon spoke, stroking his son's red cheek.

"I agree. He is adorable." Visenya answered and continued, "I want to name him Elian my love. I know you wanted a Targaryen name but I want Elian, after mother."

He speaks the same words he has spoken to her a million times, "Whatever you want."

X.

Their second child, a son this time too, comes just a year and half after his brother. His father's image, Aegon decides to call him Aegon too. His wife disagrees vehemently, making sure he knows that none of their children shall be named in this way. "They shall be the first of their name." They finally decide upon Rhaegon, for distant or not, Rhaegar Targaryen was a good father and he deserved this much. Their uncle Viserys names Rhaegon as his heir for the seat of Summerhall.

Aegon is a brother, a husband, a King but above all, he is a father. And his children shall always come first. He loves his sons, his sons are his life but he can never explain the love he feels for his daughter, born a month after Elian's fifth nameday. She is born in the Red Keep just like her brothers. She looks exactly like Elian and Rhaegal did upon their birth but she is his daughter and is therefore more important. She is born and given the name Rhaenarra, for his sister, the current Lady of the Stormlands. The day of the birth, his wife sits all men of the house down and extracts a promise from each of them. Her first promise is directed towards their sons when she asks them to promise to protect their sister. He will always deny the fact that the promise brought tears in his eyes. She lets their sons leave before she speaks to him.

"Promise me, Aegon, promise me that no matter what happens you will not force our daughter to marry one of our sons. Our mother would not have wanted it and so you have to promise me it won't happen." Rhaenys was the one who resembled their mother but Visenya truly was Elia Martell's daughter, the one with a good conscience and full of kindness.

"Whatever you want, my love. I promise you whatever you want." He knows he will keep that promise because he does not want his daughter to be a Queen. Cursed are the men and women who sit upon the throne and he will make sure his daughter is never so cursed.

When Rhaenarra turned three, he and Visenya sat their children down and taught them their mother's house words. "Remember, Elian shall never bow, Rhaegon shall never bend and Rhaenarra has never break. Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. Those are the Martell words."


End file.
